Gas burner head with extra simmer, burner base assembly and combination thereof

ABSTRACT

A gas burner head with extra simmer capabilities, a burner base assembly and combinations thereof are disclosed. A gas burner head having one or a multiple fuel/air mixture exit ports with a simmer flange located above the ports and extending beyond the port exit by a predetermined distance allows the flame/fuel-air mixture from a given port to be fully or partially covered from above at a desired flame height or fuel-air mixture setting. The burner head can be a single or multiple piece assembly and can be used as part of a complete system or as an added-on component to an existing burner system. A burner base assembly has a burner base plate, a venturi and an orifice enclosure that creates a means to supply the required gas for combustion and also enables the burner head to be fully sealed. The venturi can be built-in as part of the burner base plate or made as a separate component and assembled through the burner base plate to create a sealed path. The orifice enclosure houses the gas injector orifice and can be installed in a separate compartment partitioned from the burner base plate by a sheet of metal (or partition plate) or in an enclosed area or plenum. Both the burner base plate/venturi combination and the orifice enclose may be securely attached to each other to maintain a predetermined distance between the gas orifice and the venturi inlet to allow a predetermined amount of primary air and gas mixture to be injected through the venturi into the burner head to create proper combustion. The burner base plate may be installed in a slightly raised position relative to the partition plate and/or orifice enclosure to create an air gap and the path through which primary air flows. A secondary source of primary air may be supplied through openings located around the orifice enclosure. The burner base assembly can be a single or multiple piece assembly and can be used as part of a complete system or as an added-on component to an existing burner system. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims.

The present application claims priority from U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/592,354 filed Jul. 29, 2004 and entitled Gas Burner Head with Extra Simmer, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure generally relates to gas burners and, more particularly, to a gas burner head with extra simmer capability, a burner base assembly and a combination thereof.

2. Brief Description of Related Art

Gas burners are used in all types of applications including cooking appliances and especially in cook top systems. The less expensive burner systems are normally made of one or more metal stampings crimped or spot welded together and normally of low performance rating. In many cases, these less expensive burner systems are of annular design and fully open construction to allow primary and secondary air to flow through or around the burner. More expensive burner systems include multi piece construction of cast, molded and machined components and generally these systems are of heavier wall construction and made of a combination of materials to allow optimum performance at higher input rates. In many cases, these more expensive burner systems are fully sealed, with the orifice located in a separate enclosure, so the primary air must be supplied within that separate enclosure through slight openings in the enclosure walls and/or through air gaps under the control knobs.

Sealed burner systems are desirable as they are oftentimes viewed as more aesthetically pleasing than open construction systems. Additionally, sealed burner systems are easier to clean as compared to open construction systems. Since the burner in a sealed burner system is fully sealed, it requires all of the primary air for combustion to be supplied within the enclosure of the orifice holder, either through the openings in the enclosure box itself or through openings under the knobs or trims. One major constrain for primary air supply occurs where there are not knobs available such as with glass tops with electronic touch controls, or when the enclosure plenum is required to be fully sealed so as not to allow air pressure changes and other disturbances within the plenum that will affect the flame quality. In these instances, a source of primary air is through the burner itself.

Normally the high performance/high input rate burners are described as burners with high energy output at the maximum burner setting and this is a desirable performance to achieve faster cooking results. A primary limitation of high input rate burners is that to obtain a good burner performance, flame quality, heat range capability and re-ignition in the whole range from HI to LOW settings, the burner output at the lower setting (simmer position) has to be proportional to the high output setting. For example, the low (“LOW”) setting of a higher BTU (British Thermal Unit) burner is higher than the low (“LOW”) setting of a slightly lower BTU burner and in most cases, having a relatively high LOW setting is not an acceptable simmer performance, especially during cooking of delicate foods. To achieve the desirable performance of a high input rate burner at low simmer position, many burner and range manufactures have implemented more complex dual burner designs and valves, added extra components as electronic pulsing and solenoids, and still, other manufacturers opt to degrade the cooking efficiency of the high (“HI”) setting by locating the burner further away from the cooking surface in order to achieve relatively good simmer. In all of these cases, the system becomes more complex, expensive and more difficult to maintain.

There are several burner/system design configurations available today with the low simmer configuration. One method is to design a burner head with multiple gas chambers, each with its own set of gas ports and gas supply lines so the gas can be supplied to either chamber depending on the gas valve setting. For example, at the High (“HI”) to Medium (“MED”) settings, the gas is supplied to the chamber that has either lager size ports or greater number of ports, and at the lower setting (“LOW”) the gas is supplied to a different chamber with less number of ports or with smaller size ports. This configuration is basically like having two burners in one. In both of these instances, it is required to have a special supply valve constructed with a dual outlet and it also requires independent gas lines. There are several approaches to achieve the above design concept. In one design, burners with dual heads can be designed as concentric burners, it can include an outer ring burner and a smaller simmer burner in the center, at higher settings both burners can have a flame and at the simmer position only the inner smaller burner is on. One disadvantage of this method is that, at simmer, the heat is concentrated only in the middle of the surface being heated and, therefore, creating a high heat density in the center of the pan (or other surface being heated) (not shown).

Another design approach is to make the burner slightly taller and to incorporate two rows of ports one above the other. Normally, one set of ports is smaller in size than the other or of a different shape. The gas is supplied through different chambers within the burner head, one chamber connects to ports used for the higher settings, the other chamber connects to the simmer ports. This method might not be as efficient at the higher settings, because the ports used for the higher setting might be physically located further away from the cooking surface to allow room for the simmer ports.

Another more complex design to achieve a good simmer is by implementing a complete system approach. This design can be accomplished by incorporating an electronic sequencing device that energizes and de-energizes a solenoid to close and open at fixed intervals in time. The gas is supplied through the solenoid and the flame is automatically ignited during a set amount of time. Thus, effectively, the amount of total energy output within that time interval is equivalent to a burner with a lower energy input. This system has a lower reliability because electronic and extra electromechanical components are required in series with the burner.

A quick look at a burner head shows that burner heads are made of single or multiple components to form a plenum where the air/gas mixture is contained prior to ignition. The gas is supplied into the plenum by an orifice injector via a venturi. Typically, the burner ports are located on the perimeter of the burner head or cap and formed or machined at a predetermined angle. In some cases, ports can face straight up and perpendicular to the burner head. The ports can be of different size and shape depending on port loading. Typical port shapes include round holes, open end rectangular slots, or other alternate shape. Most burners include a drip lip around the burner head or cap. The drip lip is used to protect the ports from spillage that might occur during the cooking process. The lip is usually located the closest possible distance just above the ports. The burner head can be an integral part of the burner or as a separate cap placed freely or fastened securely to a burner base to create a completely enclosed chamber.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a gas burner that optimizes the performance at simmer (extra-simmer) setting without sacrificing the performance of the burner at the higher settings. The extra-simmer capability may be achieved without introducing extra components that may adversely affect maintenance and reliability of the system. The “extra-simmer” setting may be defined as the setting where it is possible to locate a sheet of paper over the cooking surface without the paper being burned (the paper may scorch, but not burn).

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a burner base assembly that supplies primary air to the gas burner in gas burners with completely or partially sealed construction of the enclosure plenum.

A further aspect of the disclosure is to simplify and minimize the number of components of the overall burner system and still provide an extra-simmer setting, to use a single outlet valve, to use a single supply line from the valve to the burner and to minimize the number of components of the burner head.

The present disclosure relates to a single burner head or a single burner head assembly, a burner base or burner base assembly, or a single burner head (or head assembly) and a single burner base (or base assembly) that can be used as a whole or as a part of a new burner system, or as a component of an existing typical burner system. The burner head can be a cast or machined annular cup made as a single piece that includes ports and carry over ports around its perimeter, and an integrated “simmer flange” located at a predetermined distance above and protruding beyond the port outlet. In multiple piece configurations, one possible design incorporates the simmer flange as part of the burner cap that then can be freely placed or securely attached to the burner head that contains the ports. The simmer flange cap can be used over existing burners by modifying the height and shape of the bottom of the cap to fit the shape of the mating surface and to achieve the overall height required for extra-simmer operation.

The distance from the ports to the simmer flange may be a function of the length of the flame. Ideally, the simmer flange's vertical location and protrusion may be determined by the length of the flame at a point when the valve is set at the desired low set position. Once the flame length is defined, the vertical position for the flange may be established by placing the bottom of the simmer flange just at the tip or outer cone of the flame. The protrusion of the simmer flange may be determined visually so when viewing the flame normal to the burner, there is no flame or minimum flame showing. A good simmer flange configuration allows “extra-simmer” capability with the minimum burner height, without disrupting the flame at higher settings and complies with all combustion quality standards.

The burner base can be cast or machined components, consisting of a burner base plate, a venturi, an orifice enclosure and an orifice injector. The burner base plate and venturi can be constructed either as a two separate components or designed as a single burner base plate and venturi combination. The burner base plate is designed so that in the final assembly, the burner base plate allows primary air to flow through the bottom of the burner base plate into the orifice enclosure through an air gap of approximately 0.150 in. (0.381 cm) created between the burner base plate and the partition plate and/or orifice enclosure. The primary air is guided through the orifice enclosure into the inlet of the venturi to mix with the gas. The primary air/gas mixture is then injected through the venturi. The orifice enclosure consists of an annular body, with one end fully open to allow air to flow through. The opposite end contains the means to attach to the gas supply and gas orifice/injector. The orifice enclosure can include openings in its wall, for instance (2) 1.0 in.×0.75 in. (2.54 cm×1.91 cm) openings on either side, to allow extra primary air to flow through. The solid end (or opposite end), can also include a method of attachment to a support frame and the means to accept a fitting for the gas orifice and gas supply line. The open end includes the means to establish the location of a partition plate and a way to create a labyrinth path by protruding a portion of the enclosure (approximately 0.375 in) through an opening in the partition plate to be used as a barrier for liquid spillage. The open end also includes the means of attachment to secure the burner base plate and the orifice holder as well as a method to establish the air gap between the burner base and orifice enclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the present disclosure to be easily understood and readily practiced, the present disclosure will now be described for purposes of illustration and not limitation, in connection with the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross section of an exemplary extra-simmer burner assembled on a typical assembly;

FIG. 2 depicts in exploded view the cross section of a typical burner assembly with extra-simmer burner head (i.e., a burner head with “extra-simmer” capability);

FIGS. 3(a)-(b) show cross section views of an extra-simmer burner head with typical flame, wherein the flame is at high setting in FIG. 3(a) and at extra-low heat setting in FIG. 3(b);

FIG. 4 illustrates some exemplary dimensions of an extra-simmer burner head cross section. The dimensions may be a function of the ports loading and the valve lower by-pass setting;

FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) show cross sections of alternate burner cap configurations. FIG. 5(a) shows a burner head assembly with a simmer flange securely attached, whereas FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c) illustrate extra-simmer plates removable from burner heads;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view and cross-section of an exemplary burner head assembly with simmer flange for extra-simmer operation;

FIG. 7 is a cross section of an exemplary extra-simmer burner head and burner base assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 depicts in exploded view the cross section of a typical burner assembly with extra-simmer burner head (i.e., a burner head with “extra-simmer” capability) and burner base assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary base plate and orifice enclosure subassembly showing the primary air flow path in accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 depicts an isometric view of an exemplary base place and orifice enclosure in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present disclosure included herein illustrate and describe elements that are of particular relevance to the present disclosure, while eliminating, for the sake of clarity, other elements found in typical gas burners or burner heads.

FIG. 1 is a cross section of an exemplary extra-simmer burner head assembled on a typical assembly. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical burner assembly according to the present disclosure may include an extra-simmer burner head 110. It is noted here that although the reference numeral “110” is used hereinbelow to refer to a burner head with a simmer flange (discussed later hereinbelow) according to the present disclosure, it should be evident from the discussion below that a “burner head” is generally part of a “burner head assembly.” However, for the ease of discussion, these two terms may be sometimes used interchangeably hereinbelow to refer to a burner head having a simmer flange according to the present disclosure (as can be evident from the context of discussion). Additional components and parts shown in FIG. 1 are discussed hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6.

FIG. 2 depicts in exploded view the cross section of a typical burner assembly with extra-simmer burner head 110 (i.e., a burner head with “extra-simmer” capability). The extra-simmer head 110 may be removably attached to the burner. The use of a removable burner head assembly 110 may facilitate maintenance and cleaning of the burner, although a fixed, permanently attached head (designed according to the teachings of the present disclosure) may also be a desirable option in certain applications. An exemplary burner assembly may consist of 5 basic components: a main burner support 120, a gas orifice 130, a venturi 140, a burner base 150, and the burner head 110.

The main burner support 120 may incorporate a gas input line attachment 121, a gas orifice attachment 122, and a venturi attachment 123. The main burner support 120 can be itself attached to the main structure of the appliance to provide greater integrity and support for the complete assembly. The gas (spud or hood) orifice 130 is the gas injector for the system. The diameter of the orifice and line pressure may dictate the power rating for the complete burner system. The venturi 140 may be an elongated tube which allows the supply of the gas-air mixture to flow towards the burner head 110. The gas-air mixture mixes within the venturi throat which draws air through the inlet according to the venturi effect. The venturi 140 can be also used as the means of attachment of the burner base 150 to the main structure of the appliance carrying the burner assembly. The burner base 150 is typically a heavy wall disc that supports the burner head 110 and forms part of the burner enclosure to create a plenum that encapsulates the gas-air mixture prior to combustion. The base 150 may have an opening to allow the air-gas mixture to flow into the plenum. The burner base 150 may thus provide the means to properly support and position the burner head 110 by incorporating ledges, groves and/or pins to center and index the burner head to prevent head rotation and minimize the burner head's lateral movement during operation.

The burner head 110, when properly positioned over the base 150, may rest flatly on top of the burner base 150 and typically is not allowed to rotate. The burner head 110 may include on the periphery a number of burner ports 111, preferably round, which allow the gas-air mixture to flow through and ignite to maintain a steady flame. The size of the ports and the gas flow rate predetermines the length of the flame. In an alternative embodiment, smaller ports may be used for flame management and ports or groves 113 may be used to allow flame stability. The ports 112 and 113 may not necessarily be used in the same burner configuration. A flange 114 designed according to the present disclosure protrudes by a predetermined length and located at a predetermined distance above the ports. The flange may follow along the complete perimeter of the burner head to allow the extra-simmer capability as well as spillage protection to the ports. The burner head 110 (including the flange 114) may be constructed of cast iron or powder metal with porcelain coating. In alternate constructions, brass or any other appropriate materials may be used.

FIGS. 3(a)-(b) show cross section views of an extra-simmer burner head 110 with typical flame, wherein the flame is at high setting in FIG. 3(a) and at extra-low heat setting in FIG. 3(b). Thus, the flame is shown set at the highest setting (FIG. 3(a)) and at the lowest setting (FIG. 3(b)) of the heat range. At the high setting in FIG. 3(a), the flame is the longest and the flange and burner assembly may be designed so that the curl of the flame may clear the flange 114 of the burner head 110. This high setting may allow the maximum radiant heat transfer. At the lowest setting in FIG. 3(b), the flame (when looking from the top) may be completely or mostly covered by the flange 114. The configuration of FIG. 3(b) thus protects the heat recipient (i.e., a pan or other surface being heated (not shown)) from receiving direct radiant heat from the flame and, instead, lets the flame transmit the heat to the burner head that acts as a heat sink. The radiant heat is then transferred to the recipient in a more even and gentle manner at an extra-low temperature to allow an optimum simmer performance.

The port pattern around the burner head 110 can be a continuous row or rows of ports around the perimeter of the head. The ports 111 can be equally spaced at a predetermined distance. Alternatively, the ports can be designed in clusters of four or five sets (the number of clusters is normally the same as the number of main fingers of the grate (not shown)) and can include as an option one or more “smart” ports or secondary fuel-air mixture exit ports 112 in between the sets. The smart port 112 is usually of smaller diameter than the main ports and, hence, allows a smaller than normal flame which can be indexed to be located right under the fingers of a grate (of a cooking stove) (not shown) to allow a closer positioning of the burner relatively to the grate in a stove or other instrument employing the flange-based burner assembly according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates some exemplary dimensions of an extra-simmer burner head cross section. The dimensions may be a function of the ports loading and the valve lower by-pass setting. FIG. 4 thus shows approximate reference dimensions of the flange 114 when used with a particular port size. The dimensions (0.4 in. (1.02 cm) length at 0.4 in. (1.02 cm) above an exemplary port 115) as shown provide complete coverage of the flame with a 0.1 in. (0.25 cm) diameter port 115. It is noted that the length and relative location of the flange is not necessarily fixed with this size port and can change based on the burner performance at the minimum flame setting obtained due to optimizing of the flame re-ignition and the angle of the port. It is, however, desirable to devise flange dimensions and placement in such manner as to provide a complete or mostly complete coverage of the flame at the extra-simmer position.

FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) show cross sections of alternate burner cap configurations. FIG. 5(a) shows the burner head assembly with a simmer flange 116 a securely attached, whereas FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c) illustrate extra-simmer plates (i.e., simmer flanges) 116 b, 116 c removable from respective burner heads 117 b and 117 c. It is noted here that the terms “extra-simmer plate” and “extra-simmer flange” are used interchangeably herein as is evident from the context. The reference numerals “116” and “117” are used to clarify the relation between various components in a burner head 110 constructed according to the present disclosure. Thus, it is noted that the extra-simmer plates 116 in FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) are functionally similar to the simmer flange 114 discussed hereinbefore. Further, in each of the FIGS. 5(a)-5(c), the complete burner head assembly (including a burner head and a simmer flange) is illustrated on the right hand side of the figure and given the reference numerals 110 a, 110 b, and 110 c, respectively. Some exemplary flange dimensions (protrusion and height in inches) are also shown in FIGS. 5(a)-5(c). Thus, it is seen from the exemplary alternative design configurations of FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) that the extra-simmer burner head (which includes the simmer flange according to the present disclosure) may be configured as an assembly of multiple components. FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) describe three different exemplary designs and show the burner head assemblies in disassembled and assemble modes.

The extra simmer plate or flange 116 a-116 c can be used as a retrofit of an existing burner head design or as part of a brand new design without requiring the redesign of the current burner. The multiple piece construction may allow the use of alternate materials. For example, the burner head 117 (in the burner head assembly 110) can be constructed of brass or aluminum and the extra-simmer plate or flange 116 can be constructed of cast iron or powder metal that can then be porcelain coated. It is noted that both of these parts in burner assembly 110 may be constructed of other appropriate materials as well. It is observed that FIG. 5(a) shows a burner head (117 a) and extra-simmer plate (116 a) combination where the plate is tightly secured to the head with bolt and screw as shown in the complete assembly 110 a. In the case where the head 117 a has a drip lip (not shown), the bottom surface of the extra-simmer plate 116 a can lineup with the drip lip to not allow flame impingement on the lip. The main flange 116 a may then be designed to be located at the proper reference dimensions (shown on the right hand side in FIG. 5(a)) to accomplish extra-simmer. As noted before, FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c) show the burner assembly with removable extra-simmer plates 116 b and 116 c, respectively. FIG. 5(b) shows the extra-simmer plate or flange 116 b overlapping the burner head 117 b, and FIG. 5(c) shows the extra-simmer plate 116 c to be imbedded in the burner head 117 c. In both FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c), the burner head and extra-simmer plates mate precisely to allow the two parts to be assembled flatly and concentric to each other. The assembled configuration should reflect the approximate dimensions shown in the assembled details on the right-hand side in FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c).

FIG. 6 is an isometric view and cross-section of an exemplary burner head assembly 110 with simmer flange 114 for extra-simmer operation. The burner assembly 110 in FIG. 6 may be a one piece configuration of heavy wall construction. Small cylindrical protrusions 119 around the bottom outer surface of the burner (that receives the burner head 110) (not shown) may maintain a constant gap between the burner head 110 and its base on the burner (not shown) to allow gas flow for flame stabilization. A pin 118 may be used for indexing the head assembly 110 and to maintain the proper relation of the burner (not shown) relative to the grate (not shown) at final assembly. Burner head elements associated with other reference numerals “111,” “1 12,” and “113” in FIG. 6 have already been discussed hereinbefore (e.g., with reference to FIG. 2).

FIG. 7 is a cross section of an exemplary extra-simmer burner head and burner base assembly in accordance with the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 7, a burner assembly according to the present disclosure may include an extra-simmer burner head 110, orifice enclosure 220, and burner base plate 240. As previously noted, although the reference numeral “110” is used to refer to a burner head with a simmer flange according to the present disclosure, it should be evident from the disclosure that a “burner head” is generally part of a “burner head assembly.” However, for the ease of discussion, these two terms may be sometimes used interchangeably to refer to a burner head having a simmer flange according to the present disclosure (as can be evident from the context of discussion). As shown in FIG. 7, a burner assembly according to the present disclosure may also include a typical electrode 250, spud or gas orifice 230, mounting screws 260 and a partition plate 270.

FIG. 8 depicts in exploded view the cross section of a burner assembly with extra-simmer burner head (i.e., a burner head with “extra-simmer” capability) and burner base assembly in accordance with the present disclosure. The extra-simmer head 110 may be attached or removably attached to the burner. The use of a removable burner head assembly 110 may facilitate maintenance and cleaning of the burner, although a fixed, permanently attached head (designed according to the teachings of the present disclosure) may also be a desirable option in certain applications. An exemplary burner assembly consists of five basic components: the orifice enclosure 220 which may incorporate built-in or as a separate fitting for the gas inlet line 221; a gas injector orifice receptacle 222; an attachment 225 (which may be a screw attachment) to attach the burner base plate to the main structure of the appliance; and a location shoulder (or protrusion) 223 to locate a partition plate 270 between the burner base plate 240 and the orifice enclosure 220. As previously mentioned, the burner base plate 240 can be itself attached to the main structure of the appliance to provide greater integrity and support for the complete assembly. The orifice enclosure 220 can be attached through tabs 227 (as shown in FIG. 10) to the main structure of the appliance to provide greater integrity and support for the complete assembly.

The gas (spud or hood) orifice 230 is the gas injector for the system. The gas orifice 230 may be securely attached to orifice enclosure 220 and may be located within a fixed gap and concentric to venturi's 245 inlet. The diameter of the orifice and line pressure may dictate the power rating for the complete burner system. Burner base plate 240 supports burner head 110 and allows burner head 110 to be practically sealed from the bottom. Burner base plate 240 incorporates the venturi 245 which can be either an integral part of burner base plate 240, that is, constructed integrally with burner base plate 240 or a separate component. The venturi 245 may be an elongated tube which allows the supply of the gas-air mixture to flow towards the burner head 110. The gas-air mixture mixes within the venturi 245 throat which draws air through the inlet according to the venturi effect.

The burner base plate 240 is typically a heavy wall disc that supports the burner head 110 and forms part of the burner enclosure to create a plenum that encapsulates the gas-air mixture prior to combustion. The burner base may incorporate a flange 241 along the perimeter of the burner base 240. The flange 241 may be long enough to form an air gap or pathway between the burner base plate 240 and the partition plate 270 (not shown in FIG. 8) to allow air to flow horizontally under the flange 241 (as seen in FIG. 9), then vertically downward in the gap between the venturi 245 and the inner wall of the orifice enclosure 220, and into the venturi 245. The burner base 240 may also provide the means to properly support and position the burner head 110 by incorporating ledges, groves and/or pins to center and index the burner head 110 to prevent head rotation and minimize the burner head's lateral movement during operation. Ledges 244, pins (not shown), or other structures can be a means to fix the relationship between partition plate 270 (not shown in FIG. 8) and the flange 241 to create the air gap discussed above and seen in FIG. 9.

Electrode (igniter) 250 creates a spark to initiate the combustion of the gas mixture. Electrode 250 may be constructed with a stainless steel rod and a ceramic body. Electrode 250 may be mounted on either burner base plate 240 or on a separate partition plate 270 (not shown in FIG. 8). The partition plate 270 (not shown in FIG. 8) may be porcelain coated. If partition plate 270 (not shown in FIG. 8) is porcelain coated, a counter bore 243 may also be incorporated to prevent cracking of the porcelain. The burner head 110, when properly positioned over the base 240, may rest flatly on top of the burner base 240 and typically is not allowed to rotate. The burner head 110 may include on the periphery a number of burner ports 111, preferably round, which allow the gas-air mixture to flow through and ignite to maintain a steady flame. The size of the ports and the gas flow rate predetermines the length of the flame. In an alternative embodiment, smaller ports 112 may be used for flame management and ports 113 or groves 113 a may be used to allow flame stability. The ports 112 and 113 may not necessarily be used in the same burner configuration. A flange 114 designed according to the present disclosure protrudes by a predetermined length and located at a predetermined distance above the ports. The flange may follow along the complete perimeter of the burner head to allow the extra-simmer capability as well as spillage protection to the ports. The burner head 110 (including the flange 114) may be constructed of cast iron or powder metal with porcelain coating. In alternate constructions, brass or any other appropriate materials may be used.

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary burner base plate 240 and orifice enclosure 220 subassembly showing the primary air flow path in accordance with the present disclosure. When fully assembled, burner base plate 240 allows air to flow along the entire perimeter of burner base plate 240. Air flows through a gap between the bottom of burner base plate 240 and partition plate 270. Protrusion 223 provides means to establish the location of partition plate 270 on orifice enclosure 220. Air flows through a labyrinth path (as shown in FIG. 9) into orifice enclosure 220. Orifice enclosure 220 allows the primary air to the burner to flow through a gap between the venturi and the walls of the enclosure. Extra primary air may flow through openings 226 on the walls of orifice enclosure 220. Mounting screw 260 may be used to attach burner base plate 240 and orifice enclosure 220.

FIG. 10 depicts an isometric view of an exemplary base plate 240 and orifice enclosure 220 in accordance with the present disclosure. A protrusion 224 (as shown in FIG. 10) of orifice enclosure 220 creates a labyrinth path for air to follow and prevents most liquid from flowing inside orifice enclosure 220. Protrusion 224 may be approximately 0.375 inches (0.953 cm) in height. Attachment 225 (which may be extended pins) fixes the gap between burner base plate 240 and orifice enclosure 220 and allows a method for attaching both parts, for example with mounting screws 260. Tabs 227, located at the bottom of orifice enclosure 220 may be used for securing the assembly to the main structure.

While the disclosure has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A gas burner head assembly comprising: a burner head having at least one fuel-air mixture exit port; and a flange configured to be placed above said burner head so as to horizontally extend beyond said at least one fuel-air mixture port by a first predetermined distance and vertically extend beyond said at least one fuel-air mixture port by a second predetermined distance when placed on said burner head, and wherein said flange is configured to fully cover from above a gas flame from said fuel-air mixture exit port at a first flame setting of said gas burner and to partially cover from above said gas flame when said gas burner is at a second flame setting.
 2. The gas burner head assembly of claim 1 wherein said burner head additionally comprises at least one secondary fuel-air mixture exit port being of smaller diameter than said at least one fuel-air mixture exit port.
 3. The gas burner head assembly of claim 1 wherein said first predetermined distance is approximately 0.4 inches (1.02 cm) in length and said second predetermined distance is approximately 0.4 inches (1.02 cm) in length.
 4. The gas burner head assembly of claim 3 wherein said at least one fuel-air mixture exit port is approximately 0.1 inches (0.25 cm) in diameter.
 5. A flange, comprising: a body portion; and means to attach said body portion on top of a gas burner head, wherein said body portion, upon attachment to said burner head, horizontally extends beyond a periphery of said gas burner head by a first predetermined distance and vertically extends beyond said periphery by a second predetermined distance, and wherein said body portion is configured to fully cover from above a gas flame from said gas burner head at a first gas burner setting and to partially cover from above said gas flame at a second gas burner setting.
 6. A method, comprising: placing a flange above a gas burner head such that said flange horizontally extends beyond a periphery of said gas burner head by a first predetermined distance and vertically extends beyond said periphery by a second predetermined distance.
 7. The method of claim 6 additionally comprising adjusting the placement of said flange such that said flange fully covers from above a gas flame from said gas burner head at a first gas burner setting and partially covers from above said gas flame at a second gas burner setting.
 8. A burner base assembly comprising: a burner plate having a venturi; and an orifice enclosure configured to supply a fuel-air mixture to said venturi, said orifice enclosure located proximate to said burner plate, said orifice enclosure and said burner plate being configured such that an air pathway is created between said burner plate and said orifice enclosure to allow air to flow therethrough.
 9. The burner base assembly of claim 8 wherein said venturi is one of constructed integrally with said burner plate or attached to said burner plate.
 10. The burner base assembly of claim 8 wherein said air pathway is tortuous to prevent liquid from flowing therethrough.
 11. The burner base assembly of claim 8 wherein said air pathway created between said burner plate and said orifice enclosure is approximately 0.15 inches (0.38 cm) in height.
 12. The burner base assembly of claim 8 wherein said orifice enclosure comprises a protrusion of approximately 0.375 inches (0.953 cm) in height.
 13. The burner base assembly of claim 8 wherein said orifice enclosure comprises at least one aperture to allow air to flow therethrough.
 14. An assembly, comprising: a burner base assembly; and a gas burner head assembly, said gas burner head assembly comprising: a burner head having at least one fuel-air mixture exit port; and a flange configured to be placed above said burner head so as to horizontally extend beyond said at least one fuel-air mixture port by a first predetermined distance and vertically extend beyond said at least one fuel-air mixture port by a second predetermined distance when placed on said burner head, and wherein said flange is configured to fully cover from above a gas flame from said fuel-air mixture exit port at a first flame setting of said gas burner and to partially cover from above said gas flame when said gas burner is at a second flame setting.
 15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said burner base assembly comprises: a burner plate having a venturi; and an orifice enclosure configured to supply a fuel-air mixture to said venturi, said orifice enclosure located proximate to said burner plate, said orifice enclosure and said burner plate being configured such that an air pathway is created between said burner plate and said orifice enclosure to allow air to flow therethrough.
 16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said air pathway is tortuous to prevent liquid from flowing therethrough.
 17. An assembly, comprising: a gas burner head assembly; and a burner base assembly, said burner base assembly comprising: a burner plate having a venturi; and an orifice enclosure configured to supply a fuel-air mixture to said venturi, said orifice enclosure located proximate to said burner plate, said orifice enclosure and said burner plate being configured such that an air pathway is created between said burner plate and said orifice enclosure to allow air to flow therethrough.
 18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said air pathway is tortuous to prevent liquid from flowing therethrough.
 19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said gas burner head assembly comprises: a burner head having at least one fuel-air mixture exit port; and a flange configured to be placed above said burner head so as to horizontally extend beyond said at least one fuel-air mixture port by a first predetermined distance and vertically extend beyond said at least one fuel-air mixture port by a second predetermined distance when placed on said burner head, and wherein said flange is configured to fully cover from above a gas flame from said fuel-air mixture exit port at a first flame setting of said gas burner and to partially cover from above said gas flame when said gas burner is at a second flame setting. 